MenuUI
Updated for BeardLib version 3.38.
MenuUI is a built-in menu system in BeardLib that allows you to make menus that are simpler, faster and better looking than the current menu system PD2 has to offer.
Why was it created?
When I started working on the editor I was in a dilemma on whether to use the in game menu system or make my own thing. The normal menu system(aka MenuNodeGUI) is really limited and old. And, it's far too complex for what it's trying to achieve. Plus, not talking about how unfriendly it is when you want to do something more complex.
What does it offer
Simple yet extensive menu system.
Text boxes that support copy pasting and have a history table for undo and redo and in general are much more responsive than any input box overkill made.
Combo Boxes instead of multi choice.
Multiple ways of positioning an item: menu aligning, absolute positions, position strings and position functions.
Every item can host items.
MenuUI Object
The root of your menu. This will take care of events to supply to the items such as mouse movement and keyboard input and to toggle your menu.
You can create the menu almost anytime. However, if you're creating it before managers.gui_data gets initialized you'll have to use the "create_items" value callback so MenuUI can create the items when it's ready.
Parameters
each value in MenuUI classes gets automatically merged into the class, you can add your own values and even replace core functions if you want! However, be careful, as some values are handled by MenuUI and will change from what you initially gave it when initializing the item.
Basic parameters
name
String
The name of your MenuUI, can be used to identify it
create_item
Function
The function will always get called when MenuUI finishes building, you don't have to use it if you're building your menu after managers.gui_data gets created but it's recommended to use it either way
layer
Number
The layer is simply the drawing priority for the engine's GUI, if your menu is hidden by the default menus or any other menus you can increase this
enabled
Boolean
Sets the menu enabled or disabled from the moment it's created
Colors/Customization
background_color
Color
Color of the background for the MenuUI object.
background_blur
Boolean
Replaces background_color Should the background of the menu be blurred?
help_background_color
Color
Background color of the help popup
help_color
Color
Color of the help popup text
help_font
String
Font of the help popup text
help_font_size
Number
Font size of the help popup text
animate_toggle
Boolean
Should MenuUI show/hide with an animation
show_help_time
Number
How much seconds after the user highlights the item should the help popup show
Functions:
Get
Enabled()
Boolean
Whether the menu is enabled or not
MouseInside()
Boolean
If any menu has the mouse inside, useful if your menu has more functions to it
IsMouseActive()
Boolean
Returns true if the menu has a currently active mouse (It might not be active because of another menu that opened after it)
ShouldClose()
Boolean
Should the menu close, returns false if the menu is focused on something
GetItem(String name, Boolean shallow)
Any
Returns an item that has the its name equal to name. shallow searches inside the children too
GetMenu(String name, Boolean shallow)
Any menu
Returns a menu that has the its name equal to name. shallow searches inside the children too
GetBackground()
Color
Returns the background color
GetItemByLabel(String label, Boolean shallow)
Any
Returns an item that has the its label equal to label. shallow searches inside the children too
Focused()
Boolean
Returns true if any menu has a highlighted item or user is currently typing in an inputbox
Typing()
Boolean
Returns true if the user is typing in an inputbox
Param(Stringh param)
Any
Returns the value of a parameter with the name of param
Set
SetEnabled(Boolean enabled)
Toggles the menu based on enabled value
SetParam(String param, Any value)
Sets the value of parameter with the name of param to value
ReloadInterface(Table params, Boolean shallow)
A function that reloads MenuUI's interface. Currently only works properly for MenuUI. params Parameters to update, shallow Reload only MenuUI?
Other
Enable()
Enables the menu
Disable()
Disables the menu
Toggle()
Toggles the menu, if its enabled then it will disable the menu if not it will enable it
HideHelp()
Hides any visible help popup
CloseLastList()
Closes the last opened list (not popup menus)
Destroy()
Destroys the menu entirely
RemoveItem(Item item)
Destroys item (You can also use item:Destroy() which does the same thing)
Item creation functions
MenuUI can only build menus (although items can be menus they are still considered "items") Each item creation function takes the params as its first parameter. params is essentially the parameters of the menu.
Holder(Table params)
Menu(Table params)
Group(Table params)/DivGroup(Table params)
NoteBook(Table params)
ToolBox(Table params)
PopupMenu(Table params)
All items
MenuUI has a few items. Each item can be a menu but menus are always menus. Meaning that items by default are not menus; they don't run any menu events. But, if you add an item to the item it will act like a menu. This is done to have a button inside a button for example. All items inherit the Item class!
Read about Item before reading about any other item. As all items, including menus, inherit it. Most of the menu functions are documented there too.
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